Progressive Politics in Minnesota, the Nation, and the World

1st CD GOP: Parry vs Quist - 23 Ballots & Counting

The 1st District Republican convention in Mankato was meant to endorse a candidate to run against incumbent DFLer Tim Walz. Well 23 ballots later, the winner is....

Tim Walz.

I say that because Allen Quist and Mike Parry fought to a 23 ballot draw on Saturday (going into Sunday) night. Both candidates had leads at various times. Mike Parry had the majority in the early ballotting, while Quist gradually moved ahead in later rounds. Parry regained the lead briefly before the final ballot ended with Quist leading 137 to 124.

Nobody could get seriously close to the 60% needed.

Finally, with a 2am building boot in the mix, the convention voted to adjourn. But they still aren't ready to just let a primary vote happen....

...the delegates ultimately decided they were committed to choosing a candidate. Delegates instead adjourned for the evening, and plan to have a second convention in the coming weeks to pick the candidate to endorse.

1st District GOP: Bachmann Cloning or Fear and Loathing

In the First District there will be at least two Republican candidates. Here is what they are saying....

"She is a close friend," he said. "If the left wants to associate me with Michele Bachmann, that's fine with me."--Allen Quist

?The worst fears we could imagine about government intervention, about government growth not just in terms of spending and taxation but just even the intervention in our lives is too much for me to take.? -- Rep. Randy Demmer

There is the Republican choice:

Bachmann cloning or Fear and Loathing.

Sounds catchy.

Allen Quist may like the idea of comparisons to Bachmann -- but he is more like a Bachmann without the occasional coherence. This is a guy who still thinks women should only be silent and pregnant. He is a creationist. A global warming denier. A homophobe.

Sounds like a Tea Party champion.

And then there's Randy Demmer.

I always like a candidate who start things out with "fear" as the basis for his campaign. Health care reform should be feared...taxes feared.... spending feared.

Demmer is certainly conservative. He has taken hard line stances on immigration, abortion, stem cell research, and gay marriage. He and Quist will have to fight over who can run the farthest to the right.